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JAKE DANNA STEVENS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER From her birds-eye perch overlooking Scranton’s rail lines, Betsy Lucas can keep an eye on the trains coming and going as chief dispatcher for the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad. She not only deals with rail safety as part of her job but also advocates for it in the community.

Meet Betsy Lucas

At home: Lives in Waymart with her husband, Ken Lucas. She has a son, Phillip Ingerick, and two grandchildren.

Inspirations: Her husband; her late father, Wesley Brittan; and her son

Aspirations: To expand her horizons, take on new challenges and return to her creative roots

Diversions: Traveling to new places, riding four-wheelers, spending time with her grandchildren and photography

Aversions: Incompetence and freeloaders

Quote: “When in doubt, take the safe course.”

Sometimes people, just like trains, must switch tracks.

Betsy Lucas did just that after studying advertising art in college. She hoped to find a well-paying job in her field, but the opportunities didn’t arise.

Instead, Mrs. Lucas changed directions. She started looking at other industries, including the railroad, and soon found herself working as a block operator for Conrail in the Jersey Shore area. The railroad has been part of her life ever since.

“I guess the rest is history,” Mrs. Lucas said.

Mrs. Lucas spent 20 years with Contrail in a few positions before deciding she needed a change. The job had required her to work odd shifts, and the company transferred her several times around Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

She wanted more stable hours and found that in Scranton, where she has worked for Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad through Genesee Valley Transportation Inc. for the last 14 years. As chief train dispatcher, Mrs. Lucas looks upon the tracks by Steamtown National Historic Site from her third-floor perch in a brick tower and keeps in contact with trains using the tracks in the greater Scranton area and even New York state.

“When you walk out of here, you really feel like you’ve gotten something accomplished, which you have,” she said.

Controlling train traffic

Mrs. Lucas compared her job to that of an air-traffic controller, since she makes sure trains do not end up too close to one another or to the crews that maintain the lines. It involves dispatching not just Delaware-Lackawanna trains but also the excursions based in Steamtown and Electric City Trolley Museum.

“It’s like a chess game, actually, a lot of times,” said Mrs. Lucas, who now lives in Waymart. “And you have to look hours ahead of time at how trains (meet).”

Nine years ago, Mrs. Lucas started taking her expertise into the community through Operation Lifesaver, a national program specializing in rail-safety education. She took on the opportunity thinking she might save a few lives through it, and she now speaks to people of all ages at schools, seniors’ centers, clubs and elsewhere and sets up displays at fairs and “anywhere people will get our message out.”

“You read in the paper or you heard on TV about tragedies and things that happen that could have been avoided if they’d only known the dangers of being around a railroad,” Mrs. Lucas said.

Living in Northeast Pennsylvania helps, she noted, since many people already have an interest in railroading. Even so, Mrs. Lucas tailors the discussions to the audience, so children might learn about not playing on railroad tracks while adults might hear about topics like respecting railroad crossings while driving.

“When you start telling them the facts and how dangerous (trains) can be, they become captivated,” she said.

She encourages people to never trespass and to always stay alert around railroad tracks and trains.

“Just don’t tangle with a train, you know?” Mrs. Lucas said. “It’s not a good mix.”

Mrs. Lucas understands those dangers well since the responsibility for keeping the lines and people who use them safe rests on her shoulders. Doing the job for as many years as she has has given her confidence in her abilities, though, she said, and it just comes naturally after a while.

“It has its challenges, that’s for sure,” she said. “I enjoy it.”

The job brought Mrs. Lucas some personal happiness, too: she met her husband, Ken, a signal maintainer, through work. And now the railroading tradition continues in the next generation through her son, Phillip Ingerick, a conductor for Norfolk Southern.

“I guess railroading is in the family,” Mrs. Lucas said.

Enjoys her work

Mrs. Lucas enjoys the challenges, responsibility and sense of accomplishment her job gives her, and she does not regret her decision to switch from pursuing an artistic career to one in railroading.

“To sit and draw for hours a day, you know, your mind wants to do more, and this is more up my alley,” she said.

She praised the rail authority and her company for treating her well and her co-workers for making every day better and working together for a common goal. She enjoys making a life in the greater Scranton area, too, calling it “a nice place to live.”

“I like Scranton, and Scranton has been good to myself and my husband,” Mrs. Lucas said. “I’m glad I made the decision that I did.”

Contact the writer:

cheaney@timesshamrock.com,

@cheaneyTT on Twitter

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